Missä On?

Ainesana - uncountable nouns (kahvi, sokeri, hunaja)
Kappalesana - countable nouns (kuppi, lasi, astia)

Ainesana nouns are in the nominative, when they are in the beginning of a sentence.

Kahvi on kupissa. The coffee is in the cup.
Vadelmahillo on tuolla alahyllyllä. The raspberry jam is on that shelf.

Ainesana nouns are in the partitive, when they are at the end of a sentence. (existentiallalilause)

Jääkaapissa on juustoa. There is cheese in the refrigerator.
Missä laatikossa on paperia? Where in the drawer is the paper?


Kappalesana nouns are always in the nominative.
Pöydälä on lasi. There is a glass on the table.
Lasi on pöydällä. The glass is on the table.

When there is an adjective in the sentence, which acts as a predicate to the uncountable subject, the adjective is in the partitive.

Kahvi on kuumaa. The coffee is hot.
Tämä ruoka on pahaa. This food is bad.

When the subject is countable, the adjective in the predicate is in the nominative.
Kirja oli hyvä. The book was good.
Tämä kassi on musta. This bag is black.

When the object is an uncountable noun, it is in the partitive.

Juon kahvia ja mehua. I drink coffee and juice.
Ostan sokeria. I buy sugar.
Syön kalaa. I eat fish.